A woman is dead and a man was arrested after a shooting Tuesday night in Wake Forest.
Police arrested 44-year-old Hariston Jose Ureña-Morales after he was accused of shooting and killing 40-year-old Josephina Tavarez. The two were in a relationship and lived together, according to investigators.
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Ureña-Morales, who is facing felony murder charges, appeared in court on Wednesday and spoke through a translator. He told the judge, "I was forced to do it."
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According to a spokesperson for the town, the shooting happened around the 5500 block of Mill Dam Road near Winter Jasmine Lane. Tavarez was taken to the hospital, where she died from her injuries.
Police said the shooting is believed to be the result of a domestic dispute.
A judge appointed a capital defender to be Ureña-Morales' attorney.
Ureña-Morales is being held without bond. His next court date is Oct. 22.
According to North Carolina’s Coalition against Domestic Violence, there have been 50 murders involving domestic violence in the state through Sept. 26, 2025.
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE). For county-by-county help, the North Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence has a list of resources at nccadv.org.